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THE MINNESO·T A
HORTICULTURIST
Published to disseminate horticultural information collected by the Minnesota State
Horticultural Society. The articles published recite the experience and opinions of
the writers, and this must be kept in mind in estimating their practical Talue.
VOL. 53 MARCH, 1925 No . 3
The State Fruit Breeding Farm
RON. N . J. HOLMBERG, COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, STATE DEPART­MENT
OF AGRICULTURE, ST. PAUL
The history of most institutions, like individuals, dates back much
farther than the day of birth .
The State Fruit Breeding Farm was no accident. It was not a
private farm unloaded on the state for a good sum of money, nor was
there anything shady or mysterious about the influences that prompted
the state to accept the well worked out plans by those who presented
them. My recollections and connections with the legislation necessary
to start this work have always been a source of pride to me. I have
never had to apologize for securing the passage of House File No. 174.
in the 1907 session of the Minnesota legislature. The administration
and achievements to date have j ustified the expenditure made. The
property today is worth much more than it cost and the results obtained
have added both to the wealth and the happiness of our people. ·
The late Prof. Samuel B . Green came to me one clay and told some
of his experiences in fruit raising at University Farm. He concluded
by saying that the land at the Minnesota Experiment Station was not
suficient and too expensive to carry out horticultural experiments on a
large scale. We should have 80 acres near Lake Minnetonka devoted
exclusively to e:A-periments in the production of suitable varieties of
fruits in Minnesota. He assured me that the entire membership of the
State Horticultural Society would get behind the proposition .
A short bill of j ust a few lines was introduced i n the house providing
that $16,000 be appropriated for a fruit breeding farm to be located by
the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota and to be admin­istered
by the University Department of Agriculture. A $2,000 annual
maintenance fund was also provided for. Before long members of the
legislature began to hear from home, "Please support house file No.
174." The bill finally came out on the floor of the house where it was
attacked as a raid on the treasury to help some one to unload a farm.
After a careful explanation of the bill, and pointing out the possibilities
of fruit grO\.ving in Minnesota opposition faded, and the bill was passed
in both houses of the legislature with a substantial majority. The
finance committee made proper provision for financing the project. Let
me say that had it not been for the special work of Prof. Samuel B .
Green and the members o f the State Horticultural Society the fruit

THE MINNESO·T A
HORTICULTURIST
Published to disseminate horticultural information collected by the Minnesota State
Horticultural Society. The articles published recite the experience and opinions of
the writers, and this must be kept in mind in estimating their practical Talue.
VOL. 53 MARCH, 1925 No . 3
The State Fruit Breeding Farm
RON. N . J. HOLMBERG, COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, STATE DEPART­MENT
OF AGRICULTURE, ST. PAUL
The history of most institutions, like individuals, dates back much
farther than the day of birth .
The State Fruit Breeding Farm was no accident. It was not a
private farm unloaded on the state for a good sum of money, nor was
there anything shady or mysterious about the influences that prompted
the state to accept the well worked out plans by those who presented
them. My recollections and connections with the legislation necessary
to start this work have always been a source of pride to me. I have
never had to apologize for securing the passage of House File No. 174.
in the 1907 session of the Minnesota legislature. The administration
and achievements to date have j ustified the expenditure made. The
property today is worth much more than it cost and the results obtained
have added both to the wealth and the happiness of our people. ·
The late Prof. Samuel B . Green came to me one clay and told some
of his experiences in fruit raising at University Farm. He concluded
by saying that the land at the Minnesota Experiment Station was not
suficient and too expensive to carry out horticultural experiments on a
large scale. We should have 80 acres near Lake Minnetonka devoted
exclusively to e:A-periments in the production of suitable varieties of
fruits in Minnesota. He assured me that the entire membership of the
State Horticultural Society would get behind the proposition .
A short bill of j ust a few lines was introduced i n the house providing
that $16,000 be appropriated for a fruit breeding farm to be located by
the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota and to be admin­istered
by the University Department of Agriculture. A $2,000 annual
maintenance fund was also provided for. Before long members of the
legislature began to hear from home, "Please support house file No.
174." The bill finally came out on the floor of the house where it was
attacked as a raid on the treasury to help some one to unload a farm.
After a careful explanation of the bill, and pointing out the possibilities
of fruit grO\.ving in Minnesota opposition faded, and the bill was passed
in both houses of the legislature with a substantial majority. The
finance committee made proper provision for financing the project. Let
me say that had it not been for the special work of Prof. Samuel B .
Green and the members o f the State Horticultural Society the fruit